A method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The blade comprises first (12) and second (14) half shells bonded together and a shear web (16) bonded inside the shells. Prior to joining the shells together, the shear web is positioned in one of the shells. A plurality of bars (70) are attached to the shear web and engaged with a plurality of mounts (80) in order to support and stabilise the shear web relative to that shell. The shells are then arranged one above the other whilst the bars remain attached to the shear web. The bars continue to support the shear web whilst the shear web is aligned with the other shell. The bars are then detached from the shear web and the shells are brought together to bond the shells to each other and to bond the shear web between the shells.

A shear tie connector system for securing a frame component to a composite fuselage skin, which includes a shear tie connector and a fuselage mandrel, which defines a slot within which the shear tie connector is positioned.

Devices, systems, and methods of improving paste flow during the manufacture of wind turbine blades are provided. An apparatus for applying adhesive to a composite structure (e.g. wind turbine blade) comprises a paste shoe having a top surface with an aperture to receive a supply of adhesive, and two legs extending downwardly from the top surface and configured to engage a surface of the composite structure to define an interior volume within the paste shoe. A transport mechanism (e.g. wheels, treads) are disposed on each leg to move the paste shoe relative to the composite structure while adhesive is dispensed within the interior volume. A force applicator, applies a force to the paste shoe to maintain a constant interior volume and thus a uniform bead of paste is applied to the composite structure.

A method of producing a high-pressure tank including a liner and a reinforcement layer made of fiber-reinforced resin includes a process of forming at least a domed member included in the reinforcement layer. The process includes placing first fiber bundles to form a part of a protruding portion and a part of a domed main body, and placing second fiber bundles to cover the first fiber bundles. The first fiber bundles are placed, such that a fiber direction of the first fiber bundles in the protruding portion follows an axial direction of the protruding portion, and resin with which the fiber bundles are impregnated is solidified while the first fiber bundles are being placed. The second fiber bundles are placed, such that the fiber direction of the second fiber bundles intersects with the fiber direction of the first fiber bundles.

A method of manufacturing a rotor blade component for a rotor blade of a wind energy installation, a rotor blade component, and a wind energy installation comprising such a rotor blade component. The method includes manufacturing a layer system including a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material. The second material has a smaller modulus of elasticity than the first material, and the second layer extends at least partially along the first layer. The layer system is beveled at least at one end with the aid of at least one separation process such that the second layer projects beyond the first layer at the at least one end of the layer system. The layer system is connected to at least one other such layer system so as to form the rotor blade component.

A method of making and testing a wind turbine blade comprises providing a structural member having a web portion and a flange portion, where the flange portion extends away from the web portion and a curvilinear heel is defined between the web and flange portions. 5 A flange extender is integrated with the flange portion, where a first section of the flange extender overlies the flange portion, and a second section of the flange extender extends past the heel and away from the web portion. The flange extender is bonded to the inner surface of a wind turbine blade shell. Non-destructive test (NDT) equipment is used to assess the integrity of the bond by identifying first and second target surfaces of the 10 structural member. The target surfaces are spaced apart by an intermediate region, corresponding to the location of the heel, where it is not possible to positively identify any surface using NDT techniques. Identification of the two target surfaces indicates a good integrity bond in the intermediate region, whereas identification of only one, or neither, of the target surfaces indicates a poor integrity bond. 15

A method of forming a structural web for a wind turbine blade comprises providing a web member having a web portion and a flange portion extending away from each other, where 5 a heel of substantially curvilinear form is located between the web portion and the flange portion. A planar flange extender comprising a cured composite material is arranged together with the web member with the flange extender positioned adjacent to the flange portion so that a portion of the flange extender projects past the heel and away from the web portion. The flange extender is integrated with the web member in a resin matrix, or 10 with an adhesive, to form the structural web. A structural web and a wind turbine blade comprising the web is disclosed.

A system for depositing a composite filler material into a channel of a composite structure includes an end-effector configured to extrude a bead of the filler material into the channel. The filler material can comprise a first group of relatively long fibers, a second group of relatively short fibers and a resin. A drive system is configured to move the end-effector relative to the channel, and a position sensor is configured to detect the position of the bead relative to the channel. A controller is configured to operate the drive system in response to the detected position and to operate the end-effector to heat and compress the filler material so as to orient the longer fibers in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to the channel and the shorter fibers in substantially random directions relative to the channel when the bead is extruded into the channel.

Systems and methods for joining blade components of a rotor blade are provided. A method includes positioning a first blade component and a second blade component such that a joint location of the first blade component and a joint location of the second blade component are proximate each other. The method further includes applying a force to an outer surface of the second blade component and an opposing force to an inner surface of the second blade component. The force and opposing force maintain an aerodynamic contour of the second blade component. The method further includes connecting the joint location of the first blade component and the joint location of the second blade component together.

Systems and methods for assembling elongate composite structures are disclosed. The systems include a first rigid elongate cure tool defining a first elongate support surface for supporting a first elongate charge of composite material (FEC), a second rigid elongate cure tool defining a second elongate support surface for supporting a second elongate charge of composite material (SEC), and a flexible elongate caul plate. The systems further include a vacuum compaction film, a translation structure, and a vacuum source. Methods according to the present disclosure include positioning a vacuum compaction film, positioning a flexible elongate caul plate, and positioning an FEC. The methods further include positioning an SEC, contacting a region of the FEC with a region of the SEC, sealing the vacuum compaction film, evacuating the enclosed volume to generate an elongate composite assembly, and heating the elongate composite assembly to define the elongate composite structure.